THE DRINKS CABINET
Down the pub for toast to new set-up
MINISTERIAL cars were spotted outside the nearest pub to Aras an Uachtaran following Tuesday evening’s swearing in of the new cabinet.
Footage broadcast on Virgin Media News last night showed a line of state Mercs near Ryan’s of Parkgate St.
It is understood members of the new cabinet adjourned to the premises following the ceremony with Michael D Higgins to toast the reshuffled Government.
Official
A coalition spokeswoman was unable to say whether there was any other official reason for the gathering.
It came as Taoiseach Simon Harris yesterday confirmed the final additions to his ministerial team, appointing three new junior ministers.
Mayo TD Alan Dillon has been promoted to Minister of State for the Department of Housing, with Kieran O’Donnell moving to the Office Of Public Works.
The Limerick City TD replaces Patrick O’Donovan, who was promoted to Higher Education Minister.
Emer Higgins has also been given a seat at the ministerial table as she’ll take on the junior minister role for the Department of
Enterprise.
The Dublin MidWest TD will be responsible for Business, Employment and Retail, taking the role from Neale Richmond who is moving to the Department of Finance.
He takes the post from Jennifer Caroll McNeill, who has been appointed as junior minister with responsibility for EU Affairs.
Colm Burke, TD for Cork North Central, has been promoted to junior minister in the Department of Health, with responsibility for the public health and drugs strategy.
In the reshuffle, Fianna Fail junior minister Thomas Byrne has also taken on the Gaeltacht portfolio on top of his current Sport role.
Fine Gael TD for Mayo Michael Ring said he was offered two junior ministerial positions from Taoiseach Simon Harris, but turned them down.
He told Midwest Radio he declined the offers because he would have to commit to running in the next general election, and he hasn’t decided whether he will run.
“The second thing is I have been a senior minister and I have been a junior minister. I have done all that, I was nine-and-a-half-years a minister.
“I believe this Government has only, no matter what happens, about nine months to run,” the 70-year-old added.
Deliver
“I believe that taking a junior minister now, I don’t think I could deliver on anything in nine months.”
Today the Taoiseach flies to Brussels to meet the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, and Ireland’s EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness.
Mr Harris also said on Instagram that the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, will travel to Dublin tomorrow, so they can discuss “our joint view in relation to the need to recognise the state of Palestine.”